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Monday, 16 August 2010

Skiving..

Today, I'm off down Memory Lane. I left school after Sixth form and A Levels in 1982. *cough* It hurts to type that now. By which time, my school chum Debbie was half way around the world, running from a broken heart and moving towards banana picking in Australia. Back in those dark ages, there was no email, internet Facebook or text messaging; we vaguely communicated by phone and postcard. It was, like our school friendship, just fine. Pick up and put down at ease, and carry on where we left off whenever we made the effort. We both had our first child in 1993, although at the time we didn't know about each other's pregnancies. We introduced our partners and shared some special fun days together....once a year at the most, I'd say; twice if we made huge effort. It was ever thus. Nowadays, we have email, Facebook, and text messaging. But we don't use them. We communicate through our children when they message each other. You get it. I haven't been a 'there for her' friend. But it is an enduring friendship, there is no pretence, no guilt and no whipping - when we get together, we are pleased. And today is such a day. And wait for it..this is the second time this year. Of course, the first time was brought about by a car journey that necessitated a route right in front of my house, so it was a good chance for a bathroom break and a quick natter. So, really looking forward - not to catching up, but to hearing about the next stage and talking about our children - who have an equally good friendship. Nice huh. I cherish each and every one of my friendships - five minutes or thirty years old, and each for a different reason. Debbie and I are friends because we like each other. And part of that is because she's a week older than me.

Scrapbook LO is completely unrelated, but thought I'd better credit Basic Grey for the fab paper. The pic of my baby and her Auntie is a treasure found in an attic clearing attempt.

25 comments:

I have a friend like that, too. We have been friends since what seems like forever. We drift in and out of each others lives like it was only yesterday, although we always live at least 1000 miles apart. It's always great to have a friend who will be there regardless where we are in our lives.

And on another note, being from the US, I have seen "A" levels and such, but have no idea how that translates in US terms of high school, bachelor's degree (usually 4 years), master's degree (usually 2 years and a thesis), and Ph.D (which requires an internship and a published dissertation).

I have a few friends like that - we don't communicate much over all these "modern" ways but when we come together it is like we were never apart! I think those are really good friendships that last FOREVER! Have a lovely day! Enjoy!Hugs,Cardarian

fab write up juliai have friends from school days that i havent seen for years, but i know if i'm in brum, knock on the door, i'd be welcome with open arms and end up staying hours with a good ole chit chat and watching our kids interact with other :) *sigh*friendships are an important part of life, i've being hurt very badly by one friendships in particular and that hurts, but we are in the process of speaking now and that excites me :)

at the end of the day for me the best saying is 'you can pick your friends' :) xx

Enjoyed your post, Julia. Yes, I have maintained some childhood friendships like that, and will be seeing one of these friends next week for the second time this year. It always seems so easy to pick up the threads.

Love your layout. Had to stop myself dribbling over that paper in a shop last week. Didn't give in to temptation. Now I wish I had !

Grreat - true friends should not have to account for time - and should be able to pick up exactly where they left off...The friends I have now at...cough...43 I hope I have forever - life is too short!...hugsSarah

I am just back from driving for 44 hours to meet my friend Debs - and we never met! traffic jams and accidents meant our car load of gypsie travellers arrived whilst she was at Festival in Lorient ( where we too were supposed to meet her) - but I did manage to fidn her farm and I left a painting for her hanging on her front door nr Guenine, and we spoke on the phone three times!

Me, and ma Famille, then kipped at the french equivalent of a holiday inn, and drove to Calais the next day...only 12 hours, at 80 mph all the way yeee hahhh

then back to Blighty and traverse M20 , 50 mph M25 followed by the 50 mph limited M1 up to Derby (actually quite good only 4 hours)

Niall drove back down the M1 again today (job in London)

and when they got up Luke and Adam and Rosie asked if I wanted to drive to Edinburgh to find a long lost contact?

I suspect I am going to face taunts for a while as pay back for such a long journey to 'not see' someone...

My family are No Longer talking to me unless it is in Some Form of Mocking Me because I made them come too and as, they rightly pointed out at two hourly intervals, the south atlantic coast of Brittany is not ANYWHERE near Tourouzelle in the SFrance - but I can say we did the Tour De France in two days and it takes most people at least a fortnight ...but I cried (literally)weeping that I haven't seen her for 8 years.....

Niall has the guide book out reading loudly 'drivers should not underestimate the distance to drive from Calais to Brittany ( CALAIS TO BRITTANY NOT TOUROUZELLE TO BRITTANY - they don't mention that trip 'cos they cannot believe AnyOne is MAd Enough to Want to Do It)- Niall's additional footnote - And the Friends of Donna Should Not Under Estimate the determination of Said Friend to drive for 44 hours to meet for a cuppa'

Any hoo - that's friendship - the desire to spend time with another person, dear to heart, no matter location, that overrides the day to day of normal logic....which reminds me We must find a way to see our Aussie Rels soon....

This is wonderful Julia and you reflect so many other peoples friendships. I have a friend who I met on my 1st day of school and although we don't see each other very often, when we do we just pick up where we left off. I know that if I needed her she would be here in a flash. XXX

Julia, enjoy your catch up. Sadly my oldest friend lives all the way up in scotland and when I make my annual trip to stay with my dad who lives approx 2-5mins walk (on foot yes!) is always too busy to spend 5 mins catching up I always think its so sad but its a fact of live when you have 3 boys and a husband whom you are on the beck and call of 24hrs a day its just not possible. Hopefully when they are all grown up we'll manage again!

I have an old school mate just like that. We are lucky if we meet once a year. Her being in Scotland still (jealous? Moi?) and me being here in Kent. But when we meet up we are just the same as we always were with each other. Isn't it great? It's odd as well because we are total opposites. She's a footie mad mentalist - I can't stand sport. She loves all her pretty boy bands. I've always loved the wrinkly rockers. She still lives at home, I moved out the week after I turned 18. She is the maternal one that was meant to have a horde of kids. I was the loner that was going to be a hermit. It worked out the total opposite way. Strange how opposites attract iinit?

What a beautiful friendship. I don't have any childhood friends and moving to another continent after 40 years pretty much ended a lot of "friendships", but there are a few friends left in my native country of Germany that I see once every two or three years, and we just take off where left before.

Have a friend like that I see may be every three or four years very briefly (she's in the USA) but she's the only person I'm still in contact with that I've known since we were both five, it's lovely that she's there. Gorgeous layout and the paper is one of my BG favourites. Oh and I don't believe you about Tilda for a minute :D! x

Thanks for the comment and question on my blog post today. I got to thinking that maybe the fabric had something to do with it. It was some I had used to wipe up my flour resist. Not sure that was the problem, but it's the only answer I could come up with at the moment. I really MUST figure this out if I'm to write a tutorial for them :>) See you in a few hours.

Aren't those just the best sort of friends - no pressure, no conflict, just a mutual trusting of each other to pick up as and when. I am blessed to have friends and (only child, remember) cousins who fit that bill perfectly.

Hi Juliahope you had a lovely day with your friend, its lovely to catch up, a true friendship i call that, you don't have to live in each others pockets, if you can pick up like you have never been apart, have great day, sue,x

Nice story Julia - I have friends like that that I can pick up and find again years later - FB has helped keep in touch with some I thought I'd lost - but oh no - I left school in 1980 so that makes me ancient! lol! All I need to do now if find that spark that made me craft - lord only knows where its gone - I've tried a bit this week but its so spasmodic. Any suggestions to get a girl to enjoy her crafting again?

I have many friendships like that - you can sit in their company without having to mutter a word - but the fact that you are in each others company is a bonus. Then there are friends who just thrive on you being active and talkative and based on bottles of wine. Other friends come and go in your life - they were there for a reason - and don't have to be around forever necessarily. Some you invite to every event you have throughout your life but not seeing much of each other in between... friends through your kids (other mums at school), friends through work, , friends through blogging - who know loads about you but you may never meet in person - and don't need to be there in the flesh to provide support and then there are friends that are as good as family and indeed ARE the family you'd choose. Then there's family - now that's another kettle of fish altogether LOL.

Paula x x x

Everyone has them. And everyone needs them. We are all these people to other people too. Friendship is what makes the world go round.